VICKIES WISH

To:
Health Secretary

Dear Minister,
I want you to consider introducing a waiver for when patients are in, or likely to be in a life threatening situation in hospital, ie Cancer sufferers. This would not only protect patients wishes but also doctors, consultants and other staff.

Why is this important?

Our daughter Vickie (23 yrs) was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in September 2012, Whilst undergoing treatment she had to sign a waiver for all treatment/medicines she received. She had a Stem Cell Transplant on Christmas day 2012 and by April 4th was told she was in remission, For the next 3 months we had our old Vickie back, she was very busy helping her sisters and myself organise our 40th wedding anniversary,we were going to renew our vows.

I had booked the church, bought the dress and got the reception.The only problem was that I hadn't told my wife as it was to be a surprise, I told her 3 days before the ceremony which was also her birthday. She was a little shocked but also over the moon. We all had a fantastic day and we just thought that life was great.

Then in September 2013 almost a year to the day, the consultant at the Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, called us in and told us that the disease had returned, needless to say, we were all devastated. After a few weeks in the YPU at Birmingham Vickie decided she wanted to be nearer home at Worcester hospital where she was first diagnosed, the doctors at the QE had already told us that there wasn't much hope of Vickie's survival. Vickie didn't know this, as she wouldn't attend any negative meetings, she always insisted that she didn't want to know anything bad.

Unfortunately, the consultant at Worcester didn't have the same views, she was of the opinion that Vickie should be told everything so she could prepare herself, I argued that if Vickie was told the truth she wouldn't survive 2 more weeks and fortunately but begrudgingly the consultant agreed not to say anything, although I always knew that she would find a way of telling her even though Vickie had told her to her face that she didn't want to know anything bad.

My worst fears came true at the end of November when the consultant found an excuse to tell Vickie every detail of what was going to happen to her while she was seeing her on her own! We entered the office and Vickie was sobbing
uncontrollably. We took her home and she went to bed, she just gave up on life! she passed away less than two weeks later on December 10th, her Mum and myself were holding her hand when she died.

My argument is, (and I have spoken to Doctors who agree) that if Vickie had been given the choice a year before, she would have signed a waiver stating that she didn't want to be told any bad news, this would have taken the pressure off the consultant, the Doctors and the nursing staff, on this waiver there should also be an option to tell parents everything and keep them in the picture, or in the
case of the elderly there should be an option to tell the next of kin. There should also be an option for the patient to be told everything.

We are saying that it was Vickie's wish not to be told, but she was denied that right, this needs to be put right, for everyone involved!

A simple tick and signature on a well worded document would save a lot of families and NHS staff a lot of stress, so I am begging you to please sign this petition in Vickie's memory, and please remember it can happen to anyone at anytime. Thank you in anticipation. xxx

Reasons for signing

Paul L.
2015-07-13 07:18:44 -0400

End of life and telling people news of this nature should always be Person Cantered, not only taking into account the view of the patient but also that of the people who know an love them. For some people the messages that you are given at the end of your life can make all the difference to the quality of that life leading up to your eventual death. Hope is everything which should be maintained until the very end.

In this situation, there is not a 'one size fits all'. People should have a say in what & how they are told, also their family, the medical professionals do not know them best. Everyone is entitled to have hope.

I signed because someone very dear to me was told they were terminal and had weeks to live. This has really impacted on their hope levels and everyone who knows them knows this person would not want to be told their is no hope yet doctors do not take this on board. Hope is so important. What people want to know needs to be tailored to individual not same approach for everyone

Updates

about 1 year
ago

Thank you all for signing this petition, we must stress that Worcester Royal Hospital have said in the report in the Birmingham Mail that we are happy with the outcome, that is not true, it is a blatant lie! We have recieved a forced half hearted apology from the consultant involved, Central news put us on their show but were scared to put the report on their blog because of legal threats from Worcester. They are trying to brush this under the carpet so please get your friends to sign and allow us to get Vickies wish in all NHS Hospitals. Thank you, Eric & Lynn Harvey xxx

Sign

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